The Wild & Zany Galactic Adventures of Commander Zhang & Lieutenant Simon: Soul Mates who Incarnate on Earth and Save the World is a work of fiction in the LGBTQ+ and science fiction subgenres. The work is best suited to mature adult readers owing to explicit sexual content and it was penned under the author name Vegastarchild584. As the title suggests, the work follows the romantic space opera adventure between its two central characters, Commander Zhang and Lieutenant Simon, who are both Sirian galactic officers working together on selected missions aboard the Athena. When planet Earth (known here as Gaia) calls out for aid, Zhang and Simon pose as models/actors/singers in China to help the planet’s vibe ascend.

This is a highly enjoyable space romp that fans of romantic dramas and LGBTQ+ fiction are certainly going to enjoy. One of the things I loved most about it was the author’s commitment to fun, and leaving heavy issues at the door so that readers can just get lost in the adventure and have a good time. I really especially liked the characterization of Zhang and Simon and their easy-going, fun-loving natures, both in their roles as officers of the Athena and on Gaia when they adjust to life in the performing arts to enact their mission. The romantic content was really well penned and paced with suspense and excitement, and the dialogue between the central pairing enhanced the sweet aspects of the romance too. Overall, The Wild & Zany Galactic Adventures of Commander Zhang & Lieutenant Simon is a whole lot of fun for its target audience, and I’d certainly recommend it.

The Wild & Zany Galactic Adventures of Commander Zhang & Lieutenant Simon, Soul Mates Who Incarnate on Earth and Save the World by Vegastarchild584 is a sci-fi-fantasy adventure comedy about two Sirian galactic officers who come to Earth in the guise of male celebrities to save the planet. This is loosely based on the real-life drama of popular Chinese actor-singer Zhang Zhehan and his costar actor-model Simon Gong Jun. Part of Simon and Zhang’s mission is to infiltrate powerful predatory organizations and influential figures pulling the strings in the performing arts industry, which includes the government-linked China Association of Performing Arts or CAPA. It is a dangerous assignment where the two will come face to face with perverts and sexual predators. But it is also a mission where, as soul mates, Zhang and Simon will become more familiar with each other’s anatomy.

To some degree, The Wild & Zany Galactic Adventures of Commander Zhang & Lieutenant Simon enters the world of self-publishing at the right time as modern readers are becoming more open to the idea that intimate relationships are no longer exclusive to the male-female ideal. The novel is a satirical jab at the entertainment industry and, along the way, manages to explore sexual situations involving the same sex. I admire the ruthlessness with which the novel points out that the entertainment industry, with CAPA as an example, demonstrates that the industry is being run by corrupt entities lining their own pockets and making sexual advances to satiate their own libidos. Vegastarchild584 shows quite a graphic ability in employing the 'show don’t tell' rule, as evident in the description of how Zhang goes for Simon’s nipple. It’s one frolic of an adventure, a story that will appeal to those who like mature content in their science fiction-fantasy fare.

The Wild & Zany Galactic Adventures of Commander Zhang & Lieutenant Simon, Soul Mates who Incarnate on Earth and Save the World by Vegastarchild584 is a science fiction novel with, aside from one of the best titles of the year, a delightful set of characters in an engaging series of events. Simon and Zhang are two humanoids with a storied past, a Commander and a Lieutenant tasked with interstellar missions but looking forward to a relaxing holiday after a particularly stressful commission with “a mixed crew of Leonid and Mantoid beings and positive Reptilians who brought with them three grays who basically served as canon fodder.” But there is no rest for the weary as the pair take up the task of incarnating as Earth humans on Terra Earth. After a lengthy process of training and intensive backstory development that starts with infancy, the mind-bogglingly handsome Simon and Zhang ultimately become megastars on Earth.

The science fiction genre has no lack of serious fare to satiate the classic appetites of its readers, but when it comes to levity and satire there's less to break up the monotony. Combine this with a black hole of near-nothingness for readers who are on the lookout for same-sex characters bonded as soulmates and books like The Wild & Zany Galactic Adventures by Vegastarchild584 shine bright. The plot involves themes relevant to the economic and environmental issues of the Earth right now, with the corruption and exploitation by antagonists that have an eery resemblance to a former film producer turned convicted sex offender. For me, the story was at its best when Zhang and Simon are allowed to be vulnerable and explore their connection. For all of the humor, they are fully developed characters with the same problems everyone else has, barring the fact they are rich, famous, and not from Earth. Zhang's job is to “demonstrate through your earthly experience what it means to be human and still rise above the occasion” and becoming an Ascended Master embodies what really does mean to be human. This is a wonderful read with a lot to offer and I'd give it a whole bucket of stars if I could.